Monkfish, Palma Ham, Parmentier potatoes and Black Truffle and Saffron Nage


Preparation: 25 minutes / Cooking: 60 minutes / Serves 4 /

Ingredients


  • 1.5 cups whole or gold top milk
  • 8-10 strands of saffron
  • 1 oz TruffleHunter fresh black truffle, grated
  • 1 cup floury potatoes (marris piper/king edward), peeled and 1.5cm diced
  • 14 oz fillet of skinhead and de-boned monkfish tail
  • Pinch of salt & pepper to season
  • 1/4 cup (8 pieces) parma ham, rolled into loose roses
  • 8 shaves of TruffleHunter fresh black truffle, (using TruffleHunter truffle shaver)
  • 1/2 cup rapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method


  1. Place the milk, grated TruffleHunter Fresh Black Truffle and saffron into a heavy based pan (the pan must be able to hold with at least twice the capacity of the volume of the milk). Warm the milk on the lowest heat achievable with your hob but do not let it boil
  2. Preheat your oven to 400˚F/gas mark 6
  3. Place the diced potatoes into the milk. Par cook the potatoes as if you were boiling them for roasted potatoes
  4. Whilst the potatoes are cooking prepare the monkfish tail by seasoning and placing onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment
  5. Next make the Parma Ham into little rose shapes by folding each cured meat slice diagonally across the longest point, corner to corner. Wrap long ways around one of your fingers overlapping each time, and then remove from your finger and flatten slightly to achieve a ‘roseish’ looking garnish
  6. Repeat eight times
  7. Once the potatoes have softened slightly, drain them, and retain the liquid (this is the base to your nage)
  8. Put the liquid back on the lowest heat
  9. Place the monkfish into the preheated oven
  10. Heat the rapeseed oil in a deep sided non-stick pan and add the potatoes for shallow frying. Do not overcrowd the pan with potatoes, and fry in batches if required. Once each batch has achieved a golden-brown colour, drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil
  11. The Monkfish is ready when it is firm when squeezed, resembling a medium – well done steak to the touch, or if you are well equipped has reached an interior temperature of at least 84c/183f. Don’t let the temperature increase more than this as the texture of the fish becomes less palatable. Allow the fish to rest for 5 minutes once cooked
  12. The nage will have now reached an orangey, yellow colour from the saffron infusion and will be the consistency of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice (optional) to taste
  13. To serve, place the monkfish on to a chopping board, slice into 12 even slices and arrange on warm plates as you see fit with the Parma Ham and equal shares of the parmentier potatoes.
  14. Just before this goes to the table, drizzle the nage over each dish. Top with fresh watercress and TruffleHunter Fresh Black Truffle Slices. Enjoy whilst hot.